Insane Smile
by CodeVassie
Summary: Matthias finds Lukas laughing and is filled with joy at the rare delight, but he soon finds it isn't happiness at all that is causing Lukas' shoulders to quake.


Lukas' hair had fallen over his face. He was looking down at the floor and his shoulders were slightly shaking.

Matthias' face broke into its customary insane smile. It was so rare for Lukas to laugh like this. If only Matthias could see his face alight with this rare joy, eyes shining and looking at him, sharing his happiness with Matthias.

Instead he chose to hide his face. Was it from embarrassment? Was he being shy as his sweet Lukas always tended to be? Whatever the case, Matthias longed to share this moment with him.

He knelt down next to him and touched his cheek, cupping it in his hand. "Hey, Lukas." Matthias said, hoping the happiness in his own voice would draw Lukas out of his shell.

Lukas raised his head, coaxed by Matthias' hand still on his cheek. The sight of his tear-stained face shocked Matthias, stilling him to his very core.

"Lukas?" Matthias' voice asked quietly, quieter than he had ever heard himself speak.

Another tear trailed Lukas' dear face, coming to a rest when it wet the tip of Matthias' pointer finger. Lukas was trembling and he was crying in silence.

Matthias did the only thing he could. He gathered his precious Lukas in his arms and held him close. He felt the tears from Lukas' face stain his own shirt and held him closer wanting to protect him from whatever it was that made him feel this way. He wanted to shield Lukas from anything that would make his beautiful face take on such despair.

They said nothing as they both sat there in each other's company, Matthias slowly stroking Lukas' hair and Lukas' body slowly loosing its quake that had not been from laughter as Matthias had originally thought, but from his overwhelming feelings of grief, sadness, loneliness. If only Matthias knew why Lukas felt this way.

Lukas slowly began to stir and Matthias loosened his arms enough so they could face one another. Lukas' face no longer showed his sudden tears but his eyes still held a volume of pain. He looked down, letting his hair fall over his eyes again.

"I'm sorry you had to see that." Lukas' shy voice came from behind his curtain of blonde hair. It held none of its usual sardonic tone.

The comment shocked Matthias almost as much as the sight of Lukas crying. Matthias' response was immediate. "Never, Lukas." Matthias cupped his hand on Lukas' cheek as he had before, coaxing Lukas to face him. "Never feel like you need to hide your sadness from me." Matthias tucked Lukas' loose hair behind his ear. "I won't always be able to protect you from the things that make you sad or that hurt you, so, if that happens, Lukas, you have to know that I will always be here for you. That you can always share anything with me."

Lukas was looking at Matthias. The pain that had filled his eyes was no longer visible, but he still didn't look sure, though was it of himself or Matthias' statement he couldn't be sure.

"And I'll do the same," Matthias continued, seeking to turn around Lukas' uncertainty, "I'll share with you all the important things and the trivial things alike if only you'll do the same. And I'll start by letting you in on something very _very_ important."

Lukas waited and Matthias only fell silent for a millisecond. He was sure. There was no question to it and it was about time for it to be known.

"I love you, Lukas."

Lukas' eyes widened and his chest rose in an intake of breath. Before he could think it through, Matthias leaned forward and brought their lips together. It only took Lukas a moment to be surprised at the sudden intimate contact and then melt into it. All of Matthias' senses were aflame and he was only vaguely aware of the thought that this was even better than he could have imagined in his most rarest, wildest dream.

When they broke apart Matthias did not smile as he normally did, but stared at Lukas' lips in astonishment. This moment was too special for his normal reaction.

Then Lukas' voice drew Matthias' attention to his eyes, his beautiful blue-as-the-night eyes. "I love you too, Matthias."

And Matthias couldn't help it. His wild, crazy smile stretched across his face, but he didn't care that this was his normal reaction because, in truth, it actually wasn't. He was himself when he loved Lukas and he was himself when he smiled. He could smile at Lukas with his insane smile because, when it was for Lukas, it was special all on its own.


End file.
